SONGS OF PRAISE
Captain Tom Moore’s hit single becomes UK number one after NHS fundraiser reached incredible £26million
CAPTAIN Tom Moore has scored a number one single as his fundraising for the NHS reaching £26million.
The 99-year-old WW2 veteran captured the nation's hearts after walking 100 laps of his garden for medics fighting on the coronavirus frontline.
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And the hero hasn't slowed down as he released a heartwarming version of You'll Never Walk Alone along with Michael Ball.
The song, which features the NHS Voices of Care Choir, topped The Official Big Top 40 chart on Sunday.
Captain Tom's daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore was overwhelmed when she found out the news.
"Can anything else happen to us, do you think?! We are working our little socks off as you can imagine, we are fully Team Tom!” she told Will Manning on the chart show.
"Thank you for supporting us all and thank you to the British public, we really appreciate it."
It comes after the record hit the top of iTunes - just beating out Vera Lynn and Katherine Jenkins' We'll Meet Again duet.
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The song, which is also raising money for the NHS, has a spoken-word introduction from Capt Moore who says: "Hold your head up high, and don't be afraid of the dark."
Speaking about the song, he said he would "never have imagined" he would release a hit single with Michael Ball.
But he added: "I also never thought it possible for me to walk in the garden and raise millions.
"So why not sing, spread some cheer and again - raise money for our national heroes."
Captain Tom - as he is affectionately known - originally set out to raise £1,000 through his JustGiving page but a staggering 1.2 million people made donations, smashing his initial target.
With the aid of a frame, he walked the 100 laps of his 25 metre garden in 10 lap bits each time - which he achieved on Thursday, April 16.
Captain Tom has promised to carry on with his campaign by doing 100 more laps before his 100th birthday.
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Join our George Cross campaign for NHS staff
SUN readers are today urged to sign a petition calling for our NHS staff to be awarded the George Cross.
Yesterday, we backed a proposal by Lord Ashcroft to honour our health heroes with the gallantry gong given for acts of bravery that did not take place in battle.
A No10 spokesman said: “The NHS is doing a fantastic job and the nation will want to find a way to say thank you when we have defeated this virus.”
SAS hero Andy McNab added: “The award of a George Cross would show an emotional appreciation.”
We are asking readers to sign the petition online at mcb777.site/georgecrossfornhs.
For his heroic work for the NHS, a petition has been set up on to get Captain Tom a knighthood.
Captain Tom, who is a huge admirer of the Queen, said about a knighthood: “I’d be amazed to have such an honour and meet our absolutely marvellous Queen."
He has been personally praised by figures including Prince William and Boris Johnson.
The former army officer will turn 100 on April 30 this year, with a team of aircraft restorers hoping to fly a tribute in a Second World War-era Spitfire over his home to mark the occasion.
The company, the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, restore old Spitfires and are based in South East London.
Tom joined the 8th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, part of the Royal Armoured corps, and fought in the 1942-3 Arakan campaign in WW2.
In 1940 he was selected for officer training and was posted in the 9 DWR in India.
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A spokesperson for the PM said this week: "Captain Tom has captured the heart of the nation with his heroic effort and raised an incredible amount of money for hardworking NHS staff.
"He has embodied the spirit of the country.
"From his military contributions to his support for NH staff, Tom has demonstrated a lifetime of bravery and compassion.
"The PM will be looking at ways to recognise Tom and his efforts."
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Captain Tom Moore says it's 'absolutely awesome' that people are donating so generously as his campaign surpass £8million